Walnut-branding machine



.Jnlyf 21, 1926'.

H. C. SHARP I WALNUT BRANDING ucaInE 2 SheetLs-Sheet l Filed Jan. -27. 192s July 27 1926, I

H. C. SHARP WALNUT BRANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 1926 2 Shet s-Sheet 2 Patented July 27 1926.

UNITED? v j l 41 ,593,991

CALIFORNIA.

WAL UT SEANDIKG MACHINE;

tlie- 'machine.

Many attempts have'heretof ore been "made 10 to brand or imprint lnarks or ii1ciicfiel on bmndin'gend packing a paratus eir lb'eti-j ing as iil 'egula r e terier col'itolu'. The-principal difiiclilt'y which has been encountered is the segregating ofithe walnuts so that they will walnuts; Whih are of irregulai size as Well be eonveyed* pas't a pri tin or stampingmember in single continuous file so that each:

Walnut Will be st'ajnp'ed O "marlze'cl by 131165 printing 0'1" branding element lrrespeetwe of the position 'u'po'n the conveying member in or: branding member-'01 whether" the Web is therefore" an; obj ecfiof this invention 456 PlOVldg a machine for brandmg' 0r imprintingindicia 01 marks on Walnuts pr other'al ti'cl'e's of-lrreg'wlai" surface cohtonr and of irre wlae sizfe'infw'hich mea nsiaire provided-"fo segf'e'g'ating the waln uts i1"1 t0- 4 smgl'e'fi-1e;streams-and d livering these; single file streamsi to-ia conveyor or by meansof -{iridea w machine for branding'or imprinting 1' marksupon Wa1nuts 1r which m'eansereprovi'cledvfor segregating a mass of wa lmlte from a= receivin'ghopper' into a single l a'yer thereof sUthzt-t: arching of the walnute yis independent; muting-pr branding unit- 2 ing this invention Vi de an improved form of printing 01' 'IIIiifkingptypes O1" dies for rinting 1 '01" brii11ding *indicia: iipon' 'the' surfaces of-w'alnuts' anol the like.

"Other objets; and advanteg-es of this in ing detailed des'cr'iptidn o1""a preferredenl- Figure '1 is a side elevatien (if walfiut this l'iivel'ltib'h.

artly inseetion of 5 .wal

and illustratin a poft i oli Of the tdp. 'p'late elevation- Of'a'n' inking transfer rhe/ F1gu'r'eQ1-s an enlarged; fragmental View -01 mechamsm-em leyell foi eseillfit iifg-t he 1 printing maifks upn the Walnuts:

In thepieferred -embodiment of "fihi inwithin the seill'afi ngp ire-mes of the 1 nut:branding-mat v are formedemh" (if the mines and venti n illrismte'cl 1 the accompanyin 9o conveydr' which is secured to the shaft 10, which shaft is likewise secured to the crank lever 11, which crank lever 11 is secured at the pin 12 in the slot 13 to the connecting rod 14, which connecting rod 14 is secured to the eccentric sheave 15 mounted on the counter-shaft 16. Formed integral with the eccentric sheave 15 is a pulley 17, which pulley 17 is driven by means of a belt 18 from a motor 19. By means of this drive, it will be noted that the entire frame 5 is given an oscillatory motion substantially in a horizontal plane so that the receiving plate 4 is oscillated to and fro in this horizontal plane. The reciving plate 4 is pivotally supported within the oscillatory frame 5 at a pin 20 and is adjustably secured to the frame 5 at its opposite endat a pin 21 which is mounted within a slot 22 formed in the side member of the frame 5 so that the incline from the horizontal of the receiving plate 4 may be adjusted. The walnuts to be branded leaving the receiving plate 4 fall upon a second receiving plate 23 which is likewise supported within the oscillatory frame'5 at a pin 22 at one end and at an arcuateslide 24 at the opposite end, which slide 24 is adjusted in position at a set-screw 25, so that the position or inclination of theplate 23 may be adjusted. A-third receiving plate 26 is also mounted within the oscillatory frame 5 at apin 27 at one end and at an arcuate slide 28 at the opposite end, and is adjustable in position on the slide 28 at a set-screw 29. Mouted on the plate 26 are frames 26, which frames 26 divide the plate 26 into a plurality of guide troughs 26".

The hardened plates 7 at the forward end of the oscillatory frame 5 ride upon rollers 30 mounted within a bracket'Sl.

The walnuts leaving the guide troughs 26 are discharged in single file into the troughs 35 formed on the plate 36 by the partitions 37, the troughs 35 being; so spaced as to permit the walnuts to travel therethrough in single file and the base-plate 86 being inclined so that the walnuts through the troughs 35 due to the inclination thereof and the oscillatory motion imparted to the oscillatory frame 5 to which and within which the base 36 is secured and supported. 1

Formed integral with the bracket 31 which supports the roller 30 is a casting 38 which provides a base 39 which is curved at its upper face 40 and which provides a plurality of separate troughs 41. The walnuts travel by gravity over the curved face 40 and drop into pockets 42 of the individual rollers 43 which are mounted in position adjacent the discharge end of each separate trough 41. The cups 42 formed in these individual rollers or wheels 43 are preferably of the form of a segment of a sphere. The individual rollers 43 are keyed will. travel I to the shaft 44, which shaft 44 is keyed to the sprocket 46 over which sprocket 46 a chain 47 is trained and which chain 47 passes over the idler sprocket 48 on the shaft 49 and is driven by a sprocket 50 keyed to the shaft 51, which shaft 51 is driven through gears 52 from the'counter-shaft 16.

The rollers 80 are mounted on pins 53, which pins 53 are secured within the brackets 31 at the ends to rocker-arms 54, which rocker-arms 54 are pivotally supported on shaft 49 so that the elevation of the frame 5 may be regulated at the exit end.

A plurality of wheels 56 carrying bands 57 to which stamps 58 are secured are keyed to a shaft 59 there being one wheel 56 for each wheel 43. The stamps 58 are supported over recesses 60 formed in the periphery of the wheel 56 and the band 57 is formed of a flexible material such as rubber or the like. The shaft 59 is driven from the shaft 44 through gears 61.

The stamps 58 are supported in position upon the individual wheel 56 inposition so that the same engage the walnuts within the cups 42 formed in the periphery of the wheel 43. Means are provided for inking the stamps 58, which means are the following construction:

An ink cup 62, in which semi-fluidink is placed, is rotatably supported at apin 63 mounted in a plate 64, which plate 64 fits within a frame 65 and is pivoted therein at the end 66 of the plate 64. The frame 65 is pivotally supported at a pin 67 to the frame of the apparatus at one end and is pivotally supported at a pin 68 to link 69 at its opposite end, which link 69 is secured to a, link .70 adjustably secured to the frame of the apparatus at 71. A hand-screw 72 is screwthreaded into the plate 64 which abuts the frame 65 at its lower end so as to adjustably support the plate 64 within the frame 65 so that the angle of inclination of the ink cup 62 may be regulated thereby. The chain 47 is trained over a sprocket 73which is keyed to a shaft 74, which shaft 74 is journaled in bearings supported. by the frame ofthe apparatus. Transfer units 75 are secured to the shaft 74 in spaced relation and comprise a hub 76 which is adjustably secured to the shaft 74 at a set-screw 77 and have transfer paddles 78 pivotally secured thereto at pin 79 so that'when the shaft 74 is rotated the transfer paddles 78 are rotated into the ink cup 62 and receive ink on their lower ends. The abutting or transfer paddle 78 with the ink cup rotates the ink cup 62 on the pin 63. The paddles 78 carry the ink to an upper ink roller 80, which ink roller SOtransfers ink through a pair of idle rollers 81 and 82 to the ink delivering roller 83, which ink delivering roller 83 transfers the ink to a transfer roller'84 which is pivotally sup ported at a pin 85 by the arms 86, which preferably of arms 86: are loose mag-the shaft 87" 'vvhichis I mounted in bearingssupported by the frame of-the apparatus. Theshaft 87 is 'recipro Coated transversely of the apparatus so as to transversely move the transfer" rollers 84 acrossthe roller 83 so as to obtain a uniform distribution of ink from the" periphery of the, roller 84e' by'means of a fork 88 which is piv'otally" supported on the shaft 87 and which fork 88 forms one branch of afllever 89 vvhiclris securedto a ,sl1aftf90 at an eccentric bearing 91 so that the. lever 89 is "givena reciprocatoiy;motion. The shaft 90' is driven to Wormgears 92' from the shaft ries the nuts "past; the" stamp's 58 by means of which the brand or mark] is imprinted on I their surface and thenut's arejthen delivered into a discharge chute 93 and "into a hopper Y 94 Where they are directed'into a bag 95 supported at the discharge or hopper 94.

Inthis manner, the Walnuts are sacked and are ready to be delivered to the customer. The entire apparatus is supported by a frame 96 which is mounted upon Wheels 97' I i p rality of receiving plates adjustably'mountso that the same may be moved if desired. i

The stamps 58 which are mounted upon the bands 57 comprise a block 98 of resilient material, such as a sponge rubber, which is a cut away at a V-shaped slot 99 atthesides. The branding stamp 100 is secured to the upper face of these blocks 98.. Thestamp 100 being so supported may easily conform to the curved contour irrespectivefiof the irregularity of the Walnuts tobestamped,

- the sponge roller 98 permitting the easy compression or retardation of the stamps 100 sothat a clear and even imprint is made upon the surface of the Walnut irrespective v0f Whether the stamp abuts one of the smaller ends of the walnut or. Whether the end of'the' oscillatory frame.

same prints upon one of the comparatively terms of the construction herein set forth which may obviously be varied'without de- I parting from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appende-d claims.

Iclaim: I a i 1. In a branding machine, the combination of an oscillatory frame, a plurality of receiving plates adjustably mounted Within the frame, means for oscillating the frame, and marking means adjacent the delivery 2. Ina branding machine, the combina tion of a' delivery frame, meansfor delivering 3114310188 to be branded to the said frame,

Within the frame, means?forfsegregating the a for 'i'narking the articles so segregated." 1 a 73; In; a branding machine, the com-bma-l tion ofa' delivery.frameymeans for delivering articles '"to be brandedjto' the said frame, a" plurality of receiving(plates -adjustably mounted: Within the frame and means for imparting a =reciprocatory motion :to' the. receivmg plates, means for segregating thearticles invisinglej file streams, and means for =mar'k1ng 1 the articles" so segregated.

' 7 44-11121. branding machin'e,th'e combination of a dcliveryframe, means for delivering ar- "ticles a; be branded to thefsaidfra'me', a plurality of" receiving plates mounted ithin "the frame, means for imparting a reciprocatory-motion to the receiving" plates, a plural- *-ity of parti-tions on the'latter of said receiving plates"forasegregating the articles into single file streams,-means, for conveying the mounted adj acent the conveyor "for marking 'the' arti'c'lesr 5. Ina branding-machine, the combination ,ofa delivery frame, means for delivering articlesto be branded to the said frame, apluarticles so segregated fr mythe i latter 1 said reeelving .plate to a; conveyor, and "meansof an oscillatoryframe, a plurality of re-.

ceivin'g plates" mounted. within the 1 frame, means for imparting an oscillatory motion to the said frame, means for deliveringv articlesqto be marked to the said receiving plates, means for 'segregating the articles into singlefile streams, aplurality of Wheels having-cupped peripheral recesses formed therein, meansfor conveying articles in sin gle file streams from the receiving plates to the cups formed inthe said heels, a plurality of printing wheels having peripheral recesses, printing stamps mounted over the said recesses, and meansfor rotating the said cupped wheels and the said printing Wheels in co-operative'relation so that the said peripheral recessesand cups are, maintainedrin 1 alignment. j r

7. Ina branding machine, the combination ,of an oscillatory frame, a plurality of re ceWin'ggplates adjustably mounted Within' 7 I the frame, means for imparting a substantially horizontal reciprocatory motion to the said frame, means for segregating the articles into single filestreams, aplurality of unit marking means for marking the'articles;

so segregated, each of hichunits comprises a cupped conveyorwheel, a printing. wheel having peripheral recesses formed therein, stamps spanning the recesses, and means for applying ink to the said stamps.

8. The combination With a branding machine of a printing Wheel having aplurality of peripheral recesses formed therein, stamps spanning the recesses, each of Which stamps comprises a block of resilient material having a V-shaped' slot in its sides, and a. branding stamp secured to the surface of said block.

9. In a Walnut branding machine, the combination of an enclosed conveyor, a chute into which the conveyor delivers the articles to be branded, an oscillatory frame mounted in position with one end adjacent the said chute to receive the said articles, means for imparting a stepwise reciprocatory and ad vancing motion to the articles Within the said frame, means for segregating the articles into single file streams, and means for marking the articles so segregated.

10. In a branding machine, the combination of an oscillatory frame, a plurality of independent receiving plates pivotally supported at one end within the frame and ad justably supported at their opposite ends of their inclination means for reciprocating the said oscillatory frame, means for segregating the articles into single file streams, and means for marking the articles so segregated. s

11.111 a branding machine, the combination of a frame, means for pivotally supporting the frame at one end, means for slidably supporting the frame at its opposite end, means secured to the pivot end of the said frame for imparting a substantially horizontal oscillatory motion to the said frame, a plurality of inclined receiving plates mounted in the said frame so as to permit adjustment of the inclination thereof, a partitioned segregating plate mounted Within the said frame so as to be reciprocated therewith, delivery troughs communicating with the said segregating late and conveying the articles to be marked in single file, and means adjacent the delivery'endof the said trough for marking the articles so segregated.

Si ned at Los Angeles, Calif, this th day of January, 1926.

HUBERT c, SHARP. 

